The object of the invention refers to a side part of a corner member on a drag chain device, a member of a drag chain system as well as to a drag chain system.
Drag chain systems for active guidance of conduits, cables or similar with a first end that is arranged stationary and with a second end that is mobile, are known in numerous embodiments. The classical drag chain system, which is also called energy drag chain, consists of a multiple number of chain links that are connected to one another in an articulated manner, and which form a guide channel. Conduits, cables or similar are arranged in this guide channel. WO 98/40645 describes an energy guide device that consists of a one-piece protective element made of plastic. The protective element is injection molded or cast as a single part and among other things it has parts that are connected to one another by flexible bridges.
Another embodiment of a drag chain system is known from EP 0 789 167 A1. This drag chain system too serves for active guiding of conduits, cables or similar with a first end that is arranged stationary and with a second end that is moveable. The drag chain system has a channel, which is formed by segments. The segments are connected to a conveyor belt. During the operation of the drag chain system, this, and thus also the conveyor belt, form a bottom and top of the run as well as a curved region between the top and bottom of the run.
The radius of curvature of the curved region is determined by the angle at which the neighboring members of the drag chain system can be moved with respect to one another. Hereby stop surfaces are provided which lie against one another when the members are angled. In the case of drag chain systems that can be moved fast, this leads to the development of noise when the stop faces impact against one another.
It has already been proposed in DE 296 07 492 U1 that in order to reduce noise emission the stop faces of the corresponding stops have elastically deformable damping elements. The damping elements are arranged in recesses which are made in the stop faces.
In such a design of the drag chain system, a problem arises, namely that the manufacturing expenditure increases since additional damping elements must be introduced into corresponding recesses.
In order to reduce noise emission, it is proposed in DE 297 11 441 U1 that the side parts of a chain link be provided with slanting parts so that upon pivoting the chain links that are joined together run up on these slanted parts, whereby the chain links are provided with deformable areas. The deformable areas have recesses on the sides of which wall regions are formed that contact slanting parts and then these extend into the recesses under elastic deformation.
A problem with such a design of the energy drag unit is that, although braking is applied to the speed, increased application of force is necessary in order to transfer the chain links that are pivoted against one another into their extended position, which involves increased load on the energy drag unit.